


First Impressions

by microwaveslayer



Category: Welcome to Night Vale
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-01-06
Updated: 2015-01-06
Packaged: 2018-03-06 07:09:18
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,008
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3125510
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/microwaveslayer/pseuds/microwaveslayer
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Shameless Earl/Marcus with no connection to “Play Date” (featuring Kennedy because I love that kid). Fulfills prompt 6 of oldfashionedsoftmeatcrown's list of MarcEarl prompts.</p>
            </blockquote>





	First Impressions

Marcus Vanston was not one to wake up early. He also wasn't one to wake up cuddling against Earl Harlan after one fantastic night. Marcus sat up, sheets draped over his hips.

He chuckled as he got out of bed, going to raid the other's kitchen for some coffee. They were alone, so Marcus saw nothing wrong with strolling nude through the house. Besides, clothes would get in the way if he and Earl decided to enjoy themselves some more.

As he was stirring sugar into his instant coffee, Marcus heard the front door open and close. Small footsteps padded into the kitchen and stopped.

Marcus turned his head and found a child, no more than twelve, standing and staring at him, eyes wide. 

“Where's Dad?” the child asked.

“What?”

“Where's Dad and why are you naked?”

“Who's your father, kid?”

“Earl Harlan,” they told Marcus, rocking back and forth.

“Earl never told me he had a kid,” Marcus muttered, staring down at the cup of coffee. After a few sips, Marcus decided this was not a dream and Earl Harlan had some explaining to do.

“Mister Vanston, why are you naked?” the child asked.

“What's your name, kiddo?”

“Kennedy.”

“If your Earl's kid, where were you last night?”

“Oh, Dad sent me to Janice's house for a sleepover,” Kennedy told Marcus, face lighting up. “It was so much fun and her stepdad dropped me off.”

“I see,” Marcus muttered.

“So, why are you here?” Kennedy asked innocently.

“Well, your father and I are friends,” Marcus explained simply.

“Why are you naked?”

“Some people like being naked, kiddo,” Marcus said, shrugging. 

He finished his coffee and decided waking Earl up would be a good idea. Earl certainly had some explaining to do. Unfortunately, Kennedy decided to follow him upstairs.

“Need something, kiddo?” Marcus asked.

“No,” Kennedy admitted, shaking their head and whipping their braided hair back and forth.

“Go . . . play in your room or something, alright?” Marcus grumbled. “Your dad and I need to have a talk.”

“Oh,” Kennedy said, looking a little sad. “Alright.”

They scurried off and Marcus sighed. Hopefully, the kid wouldn't cry because that would upset Earl and upsetting Earl in the morning was not on Marcus' to-do list.

Marcus stepped into the bedroom, closing the door gently behind him. He made his way to the bed, sitting on the edge and admiring the way Earl slept.

“Hey, sweetheart,” Marcus told him, giving Earl's shoulder a shake. “Uh, your kid's here.”

“Oh shit,” Earl muttered, groaning and sitting up. “Kenned wasn't supposed to come home until--” He stared at his alarm clock and muttered, “Shit.”

Marcus watched Earl get up, still half-asleep and slip into a bathrobe. He waved his hand at Marcus and grumbled, “Put some clothes on.”

“Why?”

Earl's look promised murder and that was ll the motivation the billionaire needed. He slipped into his clothes from last night, Earl huffing and helping Marcus dress himself.

“I hope you didn't scare Kennedy,” Earl muttered.

“Why would the kid be scared?”

“A rich, naked stranger walking around the house? Sounds perfectly normal,” Earl grumbled.

“You're right,” Marcus said, nodding. “So, why were you hiding the kid from me?”

“I wasn't hiding anything,” Earl told him. “I just didn't want Kennedy to have to try and sleep through a night like that. You, Mister Vanston, are incredibly vocal.”

Marcus chuckled and pointed out, “You were just as vocal.”

Earl gave him a look and said, “I have to explain the whole thing to Kennedy now.”

“Do you want me to come with you?”

“Are you going to step in and be a stepfather?” Earl asked, raising an eyebrow.

“Well, maybe, I guess,” Marcus told him, shrugging. “If you'll let me and the kid doesn't hate my guts.”

Earl rolled his eyes and told Marcus, “Kennedy doesn't have the capacity for hate.”

“Then we'll teach him . . . her . . . the kiddo.”

“Them. Kennedy uses them pronouns,” Earl told him.

“Sure,” Marcus said. “Whatever the kiddo wants.”

Earl sighed and stepped out of the bedroom, walking down the hall with his arms crossed. Marcus followed him, wanting to make sure Earl and the kiddo weren't mad at him. The billionaire paused, standing in the doorway of the kid's room.

“He didn't scare me, Dad, honest!” Kennedy told Earl. 

“Well, he still shouldn't parade around naked,” Earl huffed, opening the curtains.

“Dad, don't worry so much,” Kennedy pleaded. “If he makes you happy, you should be with him.”

Earl opened his mouth, probably to begin another round of thinly-veiled lecturing directed at Marcus. The billionaire cleared his throat and Earl stiffened, turning to glare at Marcus.

“Hey, kiddo,” Marcus began, rubbing the back of his neck. “Do you want to go out to eat?”

Earl raised an eyebrow, arms folded. Kennedy, on the other hand, nodded excitedly and got up, trying to get Earl out of their room so they could change. 

Once the door slammed shut behind him, Earl turned to Marcus and said, “You can't bribe my child with food, Marcus.”

“It's not a bribe,” Marcus replied, shrugging. “You might want to get dressed too.”

Earl sighed, “Alright, but no buying your way into Kennedy's good graces.”

“I wasn't even thinking about it.”

“Liar.”

“That's libel, Mister Harlan.”

“Don't try your sweet-talking on me, Marcus,” Earl warned him. “I haven't even had coffee yet.”

Marcus chuckled, “So go get dressed ad we can get breakfast and coffee and talk to the kid about this.” Marcus gestured vaguely, but Earl knew what he meant.

“If you're going to be Kennedy's stepfather, you better start wearing pants around the house,” Earl told him.

“And if I don't?”

“Then I'll keep you tied up in the bedroom,” Earl warned him.

“Kinky.”

“It won't be.”

“Go get dressed.”

“Alright, but don't try anything,” Earl told him, disappearing into the master bedroom. 

Marcus chuckled, going downstairs and pacing back and forth in the foyer. Then he frowned, thinking about what Earl said. Marcus didn't agree to be a stepfather to any kiddo.


End file.
